Alameda Rent Review Advisory Committee

Alameda Rent Program Website

IMPORTANT NOTICE: On September 1, 2015 the City Council adopted two ordinances: (Ordinance 3131) pertaining to rent increases and (Ordinance 3132) adding the RRAC to the municipal code.

CITY OF ALAMEDA RENT ORDINANCES

City Strengthens Tool to Mediate Rent Increases - New Law Takes Effect October 1, 2015

The City of Alameda strengthened its procedures to help resolve landlord-tenant disputes over rent increases by adopting two new ordinances that go into effect on Thursday, October 1, 2015. The first ordinance contains new noticing requirements for property owners when informing tenants of rent increases and requires property owner participation at a rent review hearing, if requested by the tenant. The second ordinance formalizes the duties and responsibilities of the Rent Review Advisory Committee (RRAC). Both ordinances, unanimously approved by the City Council on September 1, 2015, are the result of an extensive community-initiated dialogue between property owners and tenants.

“We have a serious problem with large rent increases in Alameda,” said Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer. “These ordinances strengthen our public hearing process as a fair and reliable way to mediate disputes. This approach is available to all renters and has proven to be successful. We want more people to use it.”

Under the new ordinance, property owners will be required to let tenants know about the availability of the City’s rent review procedures and the public hearing process through the RRAC. Tenants may request a rent review hearing, regardless of the amount of the proposed rent increase. If the property owner, or an authorized representative, fails to appear at the hearing without good cause or fails to properly notice the tenant, the rent increase is void and may not be enforced by the property owner.

The Rent Review Advisory Committee (RRAC) reviews complaints of significant rental increases, providing a neutral forum for renters and residential property owners to present their views. It evaluates increases, determines whether they are equitable, and, if not, attempts to mediate a resolution acceptable to all parties. 

Purpose

The Rent Review Advisory Committee does not provide legal advice. Each landlord and tenant is responsible for seeking the advice of legal counsel on any matters or document related to their specific circumstances. The Committee’s recommendations are not legally binding.

For more information, please visit the Housing Authority's website

Rent Review Advisory Committee (RRAC)

Affected Rental Units

It applies to all residential rental property in Alameda, including single room rentals.

There are only two exceptions:

• 1. Housing units regulated by federal, state or local government programs, such as Section 8 Housing or the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda;

  2. Housing units that are rented or leased for 30 days or less.

Notices

When noticing rent increases—regardless of how much the rent increase is—the City’s Rent Review Ordinance requires that the Landlord must also notify the tenant about the availability of the City’s rent review procedures.

The Rent Review Ordinance includes specific language that the landlord must use to notify tenants (see the other side of this page for AMC section 6-57.4 for how to provide notice and AMC section 6-57.5 with the required text).

Alameda Rent Review Ordinance FAQ

Landlord Notice to Tenant

Contact Information

(510) 747-4316

rrac@alamedahsg.org

Civil Code

Under Civil Code, section 827(b), a Housing Provider must provide a Tenant with 30 days’ notice prior to a rent increase of 10% or less and must provide a tenant with 60 days’ notice of a rent increase of greater than 10%. Because the Housing Provider proposes a Rent Increase or because the Housing Provider proposes a Rent Increase within 12 months of the immediately preceding Rent Increase, under Article XIV of Chapter VI of the Alameda Municipal Code, a Housing Provider must at the same time provide this Notice of the availability of the City’s rent review procedures before imposing any such Rent Increase.

You may request the Rent Review Advisory Committee to review the increase by submitting the request for review in writing within seven calendar days of your receipt of the notice of Rent Increase by personally delivering or mailing the request to the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda, 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501, or emailing the request to the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda at rrac@alamedahsg.org. You must submit along with your request a copy of the Notice of Rent Increase.

You and your Housing Provider will be required to appear before the Committee for a hearing concerning the Rent Increase. Following the hearing, the Committee will make a non-binding recommendation to you and your Housing Provider concerning your request.

It is illegal for a Housing Provider to retaliate against a Tenant for lawfully and peacefully exercising his or her legal rights including your request for the Committee to review the Rent Increase. Civil Code, Section 1942.5. A Housing Provider’s efforts to evict a Tenant within six months of a Tenant’s requesting a hearing may be used as evidence of a retaliatory eviction.

Ordinance #3131 - Article XIV to Chapter VI concerning the review of rent increases

Ordinance #3132 - Section 2-23 to Article II of Concerning the Creation of a Rent Review Advisory Committee

Ordinance #3140 - Emergency Moratorium on Rental Increases and No-fault evictions

Ordinance #3143 - On December 1, 2015 the City Council adopted Ordinance 3143 amending Ordinance 3140

Ordinance #3144 - On January 5, 2016, the City Council extended the moratorium for 60 days by adopting Ordinance 3144

Ordinance #3149 - On March 1, 2016, the City Council extended the moratorium for 22 days by adopting Ordinance 3149